"I don't think the new groups and young singers have the same support system," Richard revealed. "Today you can have a number one, [but] if your next record's not number one sometimes they won't re-sign.

"It's because they don't have the same faith in the artists that my producer and manager, Norrie Paramour and Peter Gormley, had."

However, the singer - who recently released his 100th album - praised the quality of upcoming musicians in recent years and highlighted that even those who have not won The X Factor still get a chance at a music career.

"When you think about it, even the losers on X Factor are good. I mean, they're really good singers these days," he explained

"When you think of One Direction, five of them, they all lost. None of them won X Factor and they're the biggest boyband in the world at the moment."